17 more candidates file nomination papers

Seventeen more candidates, mostly independents, filed their nomination papers for the first phase of the Assembly polls scheduled for December 13.

The number of candidates who have entered the fray after the Election Commission issued notification for the election last Saturday has gone up to 29.

However, none of the prominent players, be it BJP or Congress or Gujarat Parivartan Party have fielded their candidates so far.

Eighty-seven assembly constituencies spread across Saurashtra and South Gujarat will vote in the first phase of elections.

CPM, which had said that it would contest 10 seats in the state, has fielded Ramchandra Nair from Rajkot (East) while Samajwadi Party, the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh, has fielded Purushottam Bodhani from Kamrej Assembly constituency.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded Ashok Manwar from Jamnagar (South) Assembly constituency.

The last date for filing the nomination papers for the first phase of polls is November 24 and the scrutiny of nominations will take place on November 26.

The ruling BJP, the Opposition Congress and the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) are likely to name their candidates over the next two days.

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